Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Democrats need to offer voters more than simply opposition to President Donald Trump.
Fetterman, who has increasingly clashed with progressive members of his own party, said some Democratic candidates running in the midterm elections are “literally running on ‘f*** Trump,’” arguing the party needs a new path.
“We have to find a better way forward,” Fetterman said in an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher that aired Friday. “My colleagues and people that are running, whether for the Senate or the House, they are literally running on ‘f*** Trump.’ I mean, that’s literally, they have campaign commercials.”
The interview follows Fetterman publishing an opinion piece pushing back on speculation that he may leave the Democratic Party amid his growing disagreements with fellow Democrats on issues including the Iran war, border security, and government shutdown fights.
Fetterman also repeated a line from his op-ed that he “would be a sh**** Republican,” while noting he was under the impression Democrats would remain open to ideological differences inside the party coalition.
“I thought we were supposed to be a big tent party,” Fetterman said. “I’m not really sure how I become an issue for any of the Democrats, just having some different views in these other issues.”
He also described feeling “increasingly lonely” within the Democratic caucus, pointing to disputes over Israel, immigration, and government shutdowns. He criticized the party’s leftward shift and warned against embracing democratic socialism and communist rhetoric, which he called a “dangerous and slippery slope.”
FETTERMAN SAYS HE’D BE ‘TERRIBLE REPUBLICAN’ IN DISMISSAL OF PARTY SWITCH
Fetterman specifically cited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, saying ideas once considered politically toxic are becoming normalized within Democratic politics.
“I’ve spoke to people that had to live under socialism and or communism, and they are like they are morons if they think that socialism is the answer,” he said.
